Unwanted Responsibilities
by Falara Hughes
Summary: Tale #3 in my ongoing Thief 2014 post-game series. Garrett tries to protect himself from the Keepers who want to recruit him to watch over The City and has a return trip to the Maw of Chaos.
1. Defensive Maneuvers

**Part 1: Defensive Maneuvers**

I've always been good at adapting to unexpected situations. You didn't survive very long on the streets of The City if you weren't. The books I stole from Costa looked like they were written in bird scratch but I could interpret them by cross-referencing books in Madame Xiao-Xiao's personal collection. She did say that I had two free visits to the House of Blossoms, and I intended to use them well.

"_Thief!_ What do you think you're doing here?" She was far more modest than I assumed she would be, clinging to her robe as if it hid anything I hadn't seen before. I stood in the doorway of the madame's boudoir with no real concern over the fact that she hadn't finished applying her costume of the day.

"Cashing in my favors," I said as I closed the door behind me. "I want to use your reading room and I believe you owe me two unrestricted trips into your territory." Not that I couldn't make those trips on my own, but it felt good holding favors over Xiao-Xiao's head.

She rolled her eyes and pointed a hairbrush at me. "Well next time, do me the kindness of knocking first? Damn, not even a second to finish brushing my hair." Knowing that I already knew where it was, she gestured towards the hidden passage in the back of her room, then went back to stroking the wig balanced on her other fist.

I moved past her with a smirk. "Honestly, I think you look better without it."

"Don't get fresh with me, you tease. You couldn't afford it, even if you stole all the treasure in The City."

* * *

The first book was a catalog of glyphs the Keepers used for different purposes. It looked like there was a glyph for everything, and the ones I was interested in were in there as well. I marked stones on the clock tower in the way that the book instructed and from then on, I didn't have any unwanted visitors. Not a single roach, fly or rat. It seemed to keep the people on the streets from getting curious enough to approach as well. Usually I could find at least one vagrant sleeping in the doorway, but once the glyphs were in place, no one ever called the stoop of the clock tower home again.

I had to use a separate glyph to give a select few the privilege of entering the clock tower: Namely, Rumor and Jenivere the Second. Scribe retired to the role of a fence, using her vast knowledge and pet macaw to keep opportunities fresh. She and Basso were the only fences in The City that had earned my regular attention, so I gave them my exclusive access, with one condition:

"If you ever contact me to do business on behalf of the Queen of Beggars, we're through."

They looked at each other before Basso nodded in agreement. "Got it, jeez, Garrett. What'd she do?"

"She lied to me and got me killed. If Red Jenny didn't have a few jobs for me, I'd still be sleeping in the Maw."

Scribe shook her head and paced the floor of his office. "That doesn't sound like the Queen of Beggars, Garrett. Are you sure—"

"I'm sure that I never want to hear from her again, and if you ever want to see _me_ again, you will never carry one of her messages to my window."

She finally agreed and sent Rumor from her shoulder to my arm to receive her mark. As far as they could tell, I was just petting the bird's head in an odd pattern but the white light that transferred from my fingertips to Rumor's crown were plain as day to me. I repeated the action on Jenivere the Second, though not without some strategy. Just like her predecessor, she was pretty eager to take a finger that came a little too near.

"By the way." Scribe took a bundle from beneath her cloak and opened it partway so I could see what was inside: Every piece of my collection that Six-Fingers stole. She re-wrapped the bundle and held it out to me. "Here is everything back that Six took from your hideout, my friend."

I couldn't help but smile a little when I took back my trophies, though I stopped when she called me "friend." It sounded odd coming from someone who once cursed the rooftops I walked on. "Don't say that out loud. It kind of ruins it."

She tapped her chin but wasn't the least bit offended. "Hmm. You're right. Well anyway, you have what you were owed, and know that Six continues to be in the sloop pot until further notice. Which means, I have a job for you if you're interested."

"Hey," Basso called over his desk, "no doing business in my office! Go get your own! Besides, I also have a to-do list for Garrett. Now get outta here so we can talk shop."

Scribe rolled her eyes as she turned towards the door. "_Fine_, but do come see me when you have a free moment, Garrett. I need you to steal something from a museum."

I watched Scribe leave before speaking to Basso again. "Her job sounds pretty interesting. I hope yours can top it."

"Hey now. Did that hug we shared at your funeral mean nothing to you? Talk about a fair weather friend." He hesitated, which told me exactly what direction this conversation was going in. "Look, Garrett—"

"Don't, Basso."

He held up his hands. "Okay, okay. I know you're upset, and I'm not trying to defend what happened... But you and I both know that the Queen of Beggars would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. She cares about you as if you were her grandson. Or great-grandson. I can never tell how old she is."

"Do you have a job for me or not?" I gestured to the open door. "Because Scribe does, and all I want to do right now is have a normal night."

"Yeah, yeah, I understand." He took a hand-drawn map out of his coat pocket and held it out to me. "The Bertellis are a wealthy family from Illyria that just moved into Auldale. Some of their belongings are still en route but they brought a shipment of family heirlooms with them which will be on display around their manor. The list is on the back."

I flipped over the drawing and studied the list. There were several art pieces described, along with a set of jewelry.

"Seems not all the extended family back home are happy that they took the heirlooms with them. Get 'em back and we'll return them with a nice little bow on top."

"How's the security?"

"Bored but present, so be on your best behavior."

"I always am." I turned to leave but looked back at him over my shoulder. "... Do they have any children?"

Basso was rightfully thrown off by my question. "What? I don't think so, why?"

"Nevermind." I felt stupid for even asking. Gamall was back in the Maw where she belonged and even if she was still out there, stealing from a wealthy family wouldn't put anyone in danger. And why did I care, anyway? I wasn't going to let that ordeal influence me any longer.

* * *

Ever since I absorbed the primal energy in the witch's stone, I found myself able to see and hear things that other people spent their whole lives not noticing. The jingle of a coin purse was obvious to the point where I knew if a person had enough worth stealing. I could see footholds and places to grip on buildings that didn't strike me as an option before. Things like that were noticeable back when that small piece of the primal stone was in me, but now I didn't have to concentrate to see any of it. The little details were there all along and my eyes were finally open enough to see them.

I could also see residents of The City that I didn't know were there. Ghosts were everywhere, trying to get people to notice them. I quickly learned not to give them my attention. As soon as I did, that ghost wouldn't stop following me and repeating itself until I moved out of range of whatever it was haunting. If Red Jenny had been such an expert at her job, there shouldn't have been so many wandering around.

I caught a glimpse of her from time to time as well. I could see her out the corner of my eye, ushering the dead from different alleys and windows. Sometimes, I was sure I saw her in two places at once, but when I turned my head to look, she was gone. If I held still and watched without actually looking, I could see which wings she unfolded over the people she came to collect. There were a few times when I was amused and surprised by what I half-saw.

* * *

The Bertelli manor was impressively perched on a hillside in Auldale, and standing on its fence gave me a wonderful view of The City at night. All of the lanterns that dotted the streets shimmered like a second sky. I could certainly see why they chose the location and knew that it must have cost them a fair amount.

The interior of the manor had its own beauty to it but I wasn't there to admire the architecture. Every painting on the list was already on display in the hallways, and I quietly collected them in between the guards' patrol patterns. The paintings' displays were fitted with velvet curtains so the Bertellis could show off to their guests with a dramatic reveal. I almost wished I could be there when they revealed their very empty picture frames.

The set of jewelry was kept in the drawing room on the bottom level. There were statues and display cases waiting for their prizes but the set I was looking for had already been fitted to the statue of a woman.

I started collecting the pieces, taking a moment to admire them one-by-one. Then a suspicious feeling came over me. I slipped a jeweled bracelet into my pouch and gripped the handle of my blackjack in the same motion. When I spun around, I swung the weapon with enough force to brain whoever was behind me—it clapped against a long baton held up defensively by Costa.

Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised that he managed to get so close to me without my notice. "If you've come to take the Bertelli heirlooms, I'm afraid this job is taken," I whispered.

"I'm not a thief," he whispered as well, "and neither should you be. Did you learn nothing from your encounter with the hag?"

"Yeah, that I was right not to trust _anyone_." Regardless of why he was there, I turned back to the statue and finished taking its jewelry.

"I asked you to come find me, Garrett. The Queen of Beggars—"

"Is no longer my ally, which means any friend of hers is not a friend of mine." I turned to leave and Costa stepped into my path. My fingers squeezed around the handle of my blackjack. "Get out of my way."

"I know she told you that you're a Keeper, Garrett. Whatever her attachment is to you, I'm having a hard time seeing it, but the Queen of Beggars chose you for this task. I'm giving you the opportunity to accept the role gracefully."

We squared off but I wasn't about to risk Basso's commission over this foolishness. I noticed that every time my grip flexed on my weapon, his made a subtle readiness on his baton. He was ready for a fight if I planned to give him one but I was going to have to disappoint him.

"Usually when people need my services, they have gold or something else of value to offer me." I put my blackjack away and stepped around him. "You don't have anything I want, not even this Keeper title."

"Then you leave me no choice."

I rolled my eyes and pushed past the door to re-enter the hallway. Before I could fully close the door behind me, Costa shouted through the opening.

"Guards! There's a thief here!"

I looked back to glare at him but he was gone. Then the guards came barreling down the hallway. I had planned to take a few extra souvenirs for myself but that son of a bitch just ruined my night. I retreated into the drawing room and locked the door behind me. While the guards did their best to break it down, I pulled a banner off the wall above it and prepared to make my escape.

According to the Keepers' catalog, using a door glyph to turn any door into a portal was a lost art. I was happy to have it as an advantage over Costa, though I didn't like to use it; after all, there was no challenge in simply walking into a building and walking out with the treasure. But in this case I was going to have to make an exception.

After I drew the last part of the glyph, the banging on the other side of the door stopped. When I unlocked and opened it, I was staring at the ground level of the clock tower from its entrance. I left the drawing room and entered the tower as if I was stepping in from the plaza. Then I went back out and headed to Basso's to turn in the heirlooms.


	2. New Friends

**Part 2: New Friends**

The second book that I stole from Costa described techniques used by the Keepers in stealth situations. Reading over some of them, I could see how Costa was able to get the drop on me before. That wasn't going to happen again. Then there was another aspect to this book that was a little disturbing to me: Other than a few variations on some outdated concepts, I felt like I was reading a few chapters out of my own personal handbook. Of course I wasn't the only thief who knew how to use the environment to his advantage, but I liked to think that I was the most adept at it. This book was almost suggesting that I these things were ingrained in me by someone.

The Queen of Beggars?

No. I refused to believe she was that good at manipulating me.

So far, nothing I had learned about the Keepers had encouraged me to be one of them, and I wasn't going to seek out the Queen or Costa for answers. I started making regular appearances at the House of Blossoms and became an unofficial member of Madame Xiao-Xiao's exclusive book club. She must have felt it was better to give me free access to her reading room so she knew where I would be when I was in her territory.

Eventually, Xiao-Xiao didn't mind my surprise visits to her private study. She even started trying to convince me to give her Blossoms a try. I'm sure they were the ones who were eager to give _me_ a try, but I wasn't interested in sharing the same bed as the aristocrats.

The madame finally approached me with a businesswoman's look in her eye. "Are you sure I can't interest you in anything the House has to offer? Violet and Tulip would be more than happy to service you; in fact, it would be their honor."

I looked up from the lectern I was standing behind to see two of the House's Blossoms trying to flirt with me from the room's entrance.

"I bet it would be." I dropped my attention back to the books open in front of me. "But you look like you have a much better offer for me."

Xiao-Xiao smiled at my keen observation and waved the girls away. They were only a little disappointed. "I have a job for you, Mister Thief."

"You can call me Garrett."

"Ooo, we've built _that_ kind of a rapport, have we? I am deeply honored." She approached the desk and leaned over it as if her chest had anything to offer as a distraction from the tomes. "I need a necklace."

"Ellis' jewelry store is close by. You might want to ask where he gets his merchandise before making a purchase."

"If only I could bottle your wit and wear it like perfume." She stood up straight and paced the floor. "Lady Arlington has a rare necklace of purple saltwater pearls. I have tried asking her nicely and even not-so-nicely to part with them. She seems completely unmoved by my money or threats."

"So you'd like me to accept your generous financial offer on her behalf?"

She stopped pacing and put a hand over the book I was reading. "After all the time you've spent here, nose in my special area, you're going to charge me for this?"

I looked at her with a smirk. "Your special area is musty and poorly hidden, and I rarely work for free."

"Fine." She withdrew her hand. "Bring me the pearls and I'll pay you what I was going to pay her. You are such a cunt tease."

* * *

I left the House with all the details of the job and started working my way north. In a way, I was eager to do a job for Madame Xiao-Xiao. She had never called on my services before—mainly because I had stolen from her and made it hard for her customers to feel their valuables were safe in her care. But this had the potential to be a very profitable relationship. For the first time in a while, I really started to feel like my life could be normal again.

I made it all the way north of Stonemarket before the feeling of being followed played on the back of my neck, prompting me to stop in an empty watch tower to take a look around. I didn't see anyone at first but a flash of movement drew my attention to the Thieves' Highway. I always expected to see a few professionals working their way across town but this figure was moving in my direction and closing fast. I thought about waiting to see what that person wanted—that is, until they extended a baton from the side of their cloak.

The figure was smaller than Costa and had a female shape, but the cloak and baton told me she was one of his agents. I guess he wasn't satisfied trying to ruin one of my jobs; he also felt the need to send someone after me. I climbed down the tower and dropped into a side alley nearby. There was a door in the alley I could use to escape and continue my business.

Just as I reached up to start drawing, a metal clasp struck me in the wrist and my hand dropped like dead weight. I couldn't move my arm at all. The clasp was made out of steel and there was a pattern of glyphs moving around its surface. I looked at the mouth of the alley and saw a taller cloaked figure reloading a modified crossbow with another steel ring that he intended to shoot at me.

I turned and ran towards the other end of the alley in time to knock the smaller agent into a wall in passing. When I rounded the corner into a back alley, I peeled the glyphs off the clasp on my wrist to restore the use of my arm. It was an amazingly effective combination and I wished I had time to study it. The woman came around the same corner at sprinting speed and I had to pick up the pace.

I didn't think Costa was that upset with me for refusing his offer. The two agents hunting me worked together to chase me down better than any member of the Baron's Watch. I used a wall to jump high enough to scale an elevated windowsill and the woman repeated my actions without faltering. The taller agent turned out to be an impressive shot. He was halfway down the back alley and still managed to get one of the clasps around my left ankle before I got over the roof's edge. I fell forward face-first but to my surprise, I landed in a thick bed of grass and flowers that just happened to be growing in my path. It was out of the ordinary but I didn't have time to reflect on it. I barely managed to roll over in time to block a baton strike from the woman who was chasing me.

Her hood flew back during the strike and I found myself looking up at someone who couldn't be native to The City. Her thin face and slanted eyes reminded me of some of the sailors that sometimes enter port with cargo from the east. She looked as surprised as I did to see greenery growing on the Thieves' Highway—I took that opportunity to grab her by the arm and slam her into the roof tiles next to me, then sat up and reached for the cuff around my ankle.

As soon as I pulled the glyph from that cuff, another was fired onto my right wrist. I looked up to see the bowman reloading at the edge of the roof. In that fraction of time, his partner recovered enough to grab me from behind and return the favor of slamming me down. I reached up to defend myself and another clasp caught me on my left arm, rendering me without either. The woman put her knee in my chest and matched the sneer on my face as she brought her baton down to knock me out.

* * *

I was going to have to find a gentler approach if this was how people felt after I knocked them out with my blackjack. My left eye was swollen shut and a blinking pain radiated from my temple. I was upright, but I couldn't bring my arms down to my sides. My wrists were pinned to the wall I stood against and an iron belt pressed my back against the stone. I was in a dungeon with iron bars separating my cell from a hallway. This was certainly new. I had been arrested before, but no one had ever held me in something like this.

Voices and footsteps echoed ahead of my visitors. I could recognize Costa's but the person he was speaking to had an unfamiliar accent and deep cadence. I closed my eyes and lowered my head so I could eavesdrop a little.

"Yes, Tai Jun told me about the grass. Thank you for being so swift in your capture, Botsan."

"It was an an honor to set foot in the land of our beginning, but now I must return home. The sands churn and I must prepare for what is to come."

"Thank you again. If you need any help, send word to me immediately."

I looked up to stare at them through the bars. Botsan was the agent carrying the crossbow. With his hood down I could see that he was dark, like a living shadow. He and Costa clasped each others' forearms in a parting gesture, then while Botsan walked back the way he came, Costa turned to me and leveled his fond expression into a frown.

"There was an era where Keepers had all the time in the world to make things happen. Our ancient ancestors listened to the primal ley lines and published their whispers. Our interpreters would read the notions out loud, and the translators would repeat their words in our modern tongue so that we could understand what was happening around us. But times have changed. Society evolves and we must evolve with it, no matter how much we might want things to stay the way they once were."

I stayed quiet. He couldn't have brought me all this way for some history lesson.

"You have no idea how important your city is to us, Garrett, and how much of an honor it is to be asked to take on the role of its Keeper. Where you come from is where it all started. Our oldest order dispersed when the primal was cut off in your region, but they never forgot where they came from and made sure that we wouldn't, either."

"If it's such an honor, then why don't you accept it?"

"I accepted my station a long time ago and there is no changing that." He shook his head to dismiss a vague sign of regret. "The primal in your city was dormant, Garrett, but now that it has been awakened, we need someone there at all times to keep it in check. If that is not going to be you then we'll just have to find someone else, but you don't get to leave here—not until we purge the power from you so you can stop _wasting_ it on your misdeeds."

"Is that what this is about?" I scoffed. "I didn't want the primal. Not when it lodged itself in my eye and not when that witch's stone started invading my dreams. You can have the power if your plan is to let me go afterwards. Do whatever you have to do to stop haunting my life."

"Right. Because that's all this is about, isn't it? You." He moved so close to the bars I almost thought he was going to walk through them. "The man the Queen of Beggars described to me sounded far better than this. A petty thief, yes, but one who wandered The City in search of a girl he wasn't related to by blood, just to save her from being sacrificed by a bunch of fanatics. Who went to the Maw and back to avenge children taken from all walks of life."

"I didn't go to the Maw by choice," I grumbled. "You and the Queen of Beggars tricked me into getting _killed!_"

"You are letting your little upset over being dead—which you are _no longer_, I might add—escalate into a needless tantrum, LIKE A CHILD!" Costa's voice elevated into a bark but after he slammed his palm into the bars of my cell, he calmed down. "I have already apologized for my part in that and I'm sure she would as well if she were here, but what would that _change?_ What does bearing the weight of her perceived betrayal do for you, Garrett? It may make you feel right about trusting no one and being alone, but one day I hope you will wake up and see just how _stagnant_ that way of thinking really is."

I had nothing more to say to him. I closed my eyes and got as comfortable as my restraints would let me. Costa marched off to cool down but I was sure he'd return eventually to take the primal. Then I would be free to go home.


	3. On a Timeout

**Part 3: On a Timeout**

Minutes seemed to roll into hours and the longer I stood against the wall, the more tortured I felt. I wondered how long Costa planned to keep me like this. He seemed to have a thing against thieves; perhaps he planned to keep me here for a few days to try and teach me a lesson. Or maybe he wasn't going to let me go at all. He could have been plotting to take my power and push me into the arms of the Baron's Watch. After he called the guards at the Bertellis, wouldn't be surprised if that's what he really planned to do.

I struggled for a bit to test the strength of my restraints. The shackles were solidly fixed into the wall and the belt barely moved. My head and feet weren't chained down but with my arms how they were, I wasn't going anywhere. All I could really do was stare down at my boots and shake the burs off my pants that must have attached themselves to me when I fell in that bed of grass.

Being unable to move gave me too much time to think. I started to wonder if my anger towards the Queen of Beggars was misplaced. She had always been helpful to me in her own way, but she did get me killed, and now I was sure I was being held prisoner because of her.

That wasn't what upset me, though. I put so much trust in her advice over the years and I was angry at myself for it. She wasn't always there for me but when I did talk to her, she seemed to have the right comment to lead me in an interesting direction. Maybe that was her subtle way of getting me to learn the things I saw in that book. It would make sense; after all, she couldn't have actually taught me any of the skills I'd developed. Not at her age.

Thinking along those lines made me wonder if she ever knew these skills herself at one point. Just who _was_ she before she became the Queen of Beggars? She always looked old to me but she had to have been a young woman once, like the one who chased me down. I tried to imagine her doing things like that and chuckled quietly to myself. I was definitely going stir crazy from being pinned against the wall for so long.

My eyes were starting to be affected by the passage of time. I thought I saw the burs dancing around on the floor.

They _were_ dancing. Three of them were moving in circles in front of my feet. When their circles brought them together, they broke open and twisted into a vine that reached out and wrapped around my right leg. I tried to shake it off but that just gave it the traction to grow upwards and work its way to my hips.

I thought about calling for help, until I watched the path this plant was traveling. It coiled around the iron belt and wrapped a tendril around the pin that kept the belt in place. As it continued to grow, the pin was pulled up and away. Someone was trying to free me. I didn't know anyone who had power over plant life, but I was glad for the assist. If Costa really meant to let me leave here, he wouldn't have left me in such an uncomfortable position.

The vine made its way up the right side of my torso, settling on different parts of my leather and eventually winding around my right arm. By then, it began to grow sweet-smelling flowers from stems that wouldn't normally be on a plant like this. The stems on the flowers started to grow thorns once it reached my wrist. The stem closest to my palm grew a black thorn so long and thick it might as well have been a lockpick.

I was able to get my fingers around it and with a little effort, the spike snapped right off the stem. _Yes._ The lock on the first cuff took time but once my right hand was free, the left was barely a factor. I pushed out of the belt and brushed the vine from my body. All I had to do now was get out of the dungeon and I could send myself back home.

I glanced at the floor and saw the vine changing again. Its tendrils and stems dissolved into a bed of moss that crept towards the door of my cell, leaving another blackened thorn behind. This one had a curved tip that was appropriate for digging into more advanced locks. I used it to open the cell door and watched the moss travel to a storage room down the hall. Somehow it wasn't leaving a trail; all of the moss that could have been left behind withered into dust in its wake. I followed it out of curiosity and found myself stepping into the room where all my equipment had been stored.

The patch of moss politely waited while I put everything back where it belonged on my person. "After you," I told it once I was done. I must have been losing my mind all over again.

* * *

We made our way up a flight of stairs and moved down a hallway in a building made of marble. There were a lot of pillars and open doorways but I wasn't inclined to do any sight-seeing, especially when I could hear Costa's voice through one of them. The mossy patch moved right past the room he was in. I started to duck past the door but when I heard the Queen of Beggars' voice, I stopped to listen in on the conversation.

"It's not right to keep him like this, Costa. Whatever his crimes, they are out of your jurisdiction. Send him back to The City."

"Not like he is. Not with what he can do, and I don't mean his _grand theft_."

I knew Costa never meant to release me, though from the sound of things my business practices were only part of his issue with me. I glanced through the doorway and saw that his back was conveniently turned in my direction. The Queen of Beggars was facing me, which meant for the time being I was practically invisible.

She told him, "He is needed, I don't care what your opinion is of him."

"He refuses the responsibility and unlike our predecessors, we can't afford to humor _this_ Garrett's unwillingness. There are no prophecies left to tell us if he'll eventually come around. You have to find someone else to transfer his power to."

"No one is better born for this than Garrett. He should keep the power he absorbed. It is as much a part of him as it is a part of The City."

"That would be very unwise. You did not see him draw above the door with his bare hand, and tearing away the primal ink of a glyph? It is a lost art, known only to the pages of books I doubt I'll be able to salvage from the old library. If left unchecked, there is no telling what _disaster_ he may achieve."

It felt good knowing that Costa saw me as dangerous. He never seemed to have any fear in him, but I wanted him to be afraid of me.

I was also surprised by how much the Queen of Beggars stood up for me in this conversation. If it was possible for them to take my power and give it to someone else, it wouldn't be hard for her to find a replacement. For her own reasons, she still wanted me. She probably didn't want all that time she spent leading me around by my curiosity to go to waste.

"Enough," Costa said in his barking tone. "We can't waste anymore time planting seeds of wishful thinking! You called me to help you resolve this matter and that is what I am doing. Find someone else, and once we have transferred his power into a more willing participant, your pet thief can go free."

What a taffer. I wanted to sneak in there and knock him over the head just to make myself feel better, but then I looked down and noticed that a vine had grown up from the moss and wrapped around my forearm. It was trying to tug me forward like a child.

I took one last look through the doorway and saw that the Queen of Beggars was staring right at me. Not that she could actually see me, but something told me that she knew I was there. She made that same subtle hand gesture she made when I was a ghost—to signal me that it was time to move on—then extended a hand to Costa so he would be compelled to escort her to a table in a far corner of the room. Perhaps it was time for me to forgive her after all.

"There may be someone else I can call on," she told him. "Come, sit with me while I think for a moment."

"All right, but try to think of someone who _is not_ a criminal. I swear, you are far too attached to the unlawful."

* * *

The moss migrated to an open window at the end of the hall. It evolved into a vine again but grew thicker and stronger as it trailed down the outside wall. I took the hint and used it to climb down to the streets.

It was nighttime in Costa's city, which meant no one would see me or the vine that now withered and dropped dead from the wall. It left behind three burs like the ones that had stuck to me in the first place. When I reached down to pick them up, my hand nearly touched a pair of bare feet that approached me. They belonged to a heavily-tattooed boy wearing only a loincloth. Interesting. He held out his hand and I passed the seeds to him for no other reason than I assumed they were his.

A woman with wild hair stepped out of the shadows next, gripping a staff that was embellished with natural trinkets. She reached into the folds of her green robe and took out a stick that had a creature's talon attached to it. After saying something I couldn't understand, she cut the air behind her with the talon and tore a gaping hole in the fabric of reality. There was no better way to describe it than that. The boy took me by the hand and lead me towards it. Considering the fact that they had just helped me escape one of the worst sleeping positions I'd ever been in, I decided to step through the tear and see what I'd be doing to repay the favor.


	4. The Order of the Vine

**Part 4: The Order of the Vine**

The woman and the boy had brought me back to the Maw of Chaos. It felt like an entirely different place now that I was alive. Each breath of air smelled fresh and the sky was an endless sheet of black that had no effect on how well-lit the world seemed to be. We stood at the edge of a blue-colored forest and when I looked across the nearby field, I could see the dark wood I had visited not that long ago.

My escorts lead me deep into the blue forest and the further we traveled, the more I could hear whispers from all around us.

"Sneaksies be here to helpsies?"

"Bes called by Viktoria. Hopes she is knowing what she be doing in this."

Viktoria: The Lady of the Wood. Now it all made sense, and my interest in my current whereabouts increased. She said she had need of me. I owed her the favor for breaking me out of Costa's dungeon, I just hoped that what she wanted was something I'd be willing to give her.

My escort brought me to a village with huts built right into the trees. There were other natives there, most wearing barely anything but the tattoos on their bodies. They had a lot to whisper about me but it all died down when the Lady of the Woods made her presence known.

"Welcome, Garrett, my honored guest." She stepped out of the tallest tree and approached me as bare as ever. When she saw how bruised my face was, she reached up to feel the swollen skin around my eye. I winced at the contact but looked in time to see her wave over a girl who carried an abnormally large flower bud. Viktoria peeled one of the petals off the flower and before I could object, she pressed it against my left eye. "Hold still."

With my right eye, I could see the green light that traveled through the veins of her body towards the petal she pressed into me. When the light faded from her, the petal crumbled away from my face and I could finally see out of my left eye again. There was still some soreness and bruising when I touched my face but at least it was manageable.

"Much better." Viktoria smiled at her handiwork and gestures towards the large hut. "Come, Garrett. You must be hungry and thirsty after your ordeal."

"I can wait." I had no idea what food would be like in the Maw but I wasn't interested in trying it. "You brought me here because you need me to do something."

She smiled at my directness. "To the point, just like your predecessor." We stepped into the hut, which took us out of the whisper range of her strange clan of followers. She sat on a mossy log and gestured for me to join her. I stayed close to the hanging moss that acted like a curtain in the doorway.

"I am not going to harm you," she said. "I told you that before."

"I don't doubt that." I folded my arms and leaned against the doorway. "What do you need me for, Viktoria?"

"An old friend of mine has become poisoned by his own rage. You know him as the Trickster—a name with such negative connotations. I know him as the Woodsie Lord: One of the gentlest souls to walk the woods of your realm."

I squinted thoughtfully. "Is this the same 'gentle soul' said to enjoy tearing the flesh and eyes from humans that don't like to live the 'Woodsie' lifestyle?"

"Skin, yes, and _I _am the one who plucked the eye." She admittedly that pretty proudly. "It was only one, and from a very special man who became one of my greatest allies. I was hoping you could be one as well."

"As long as you're not going to charge me an eye for it, we might be able to do business. I am on a bit of a schedule, though."

She smiled innocently but there was a sinister edge to her response. "I know. The Keepers are trying to use you. Either you will do what they want, or they will turn you weak and leave you somewhere to die."

That didn't sound at all like the ultimatum I was given. I started to feel a little more wary of the company I was keeping.

"The Keepers and the Pagans have long held a very uneasy truce. If you side yourself with us, we can protect you from them."

"I prefer leather pants to a leather loincloth," I told her. "Besides, it's more profitable for me if I don't pick sides."

She was amused by my earnest comment. "I suppose it is. Well, you do owe us for providing you with the means to escape their grasp. I trust that you are honor-bound to assist?"

I stood away from the door but continued to keep my distance. "I'm still here, aren't I? What do you need?"

Viktoria reached forward and spread her fingers outward. A long stem grew in the center of the hut and sprouted a large flower with two petals that curved upwards like the eye of a needle. Between them, a haze of pollen displayed images that matched her narration.

"Centuries ago, we lived and died among your people. The Woodsie Lord wanted nothing more than to continuously gift The City's inhabitants with the bounties of nature, and he was struck down for it. I was murdered by an irredeemable band of religious zealots."

The picture between the petals showed a distorted image of a goat man being overwhelmed by a crowd of men and women, then it showed Viktoria screaming while she was being burned at the stake. A twinge in my right eye told me that picture was distorted for a reason. She wasn't telling me the truth, but I decided not to call her on it, for now.

"Recent stirrings awakened us from the endless sleep we were ushered into. While I arose well-rested and ready to resume my duty as a protector of the woods, I am afraid that my fondest friend still walks the nightmare of his rejection and sees only revenge before him."

"All right. So what can I do to stop him from seeking his revenge?" I wanted her to get to the point of her story; after all, I still needed to destroy that door in the ruins and the longer I waited, the more of a chance Costa had to send his friends after me again.

"You must approach the Woodsie Lord and take the Thorn of Vengeance that has lodged itself in his heart."

Now we were getting somewhere. "Is that all you need me to do?"

She shook her head and replied, "It won't be easy. He has powers greater than my own. Even now, his misplaced anger changes our realm for the worst."

The portal between the petals revealed a far edge of the woods, where most of the trees were leafless and bent at the trunk. The grass gave way to a rocky landscape that cracked into inhospitable terrain.

"I am doing what I can to keep his influence from reshaping the forest altogether." Viktoria's words pulled my attention to her face, and I could see the hint of strain in her features. She really did need my help. If the Trickster's powers were greater than hers and she faced him while trying to hold the forest together, she wouldn't stand a chance.

"Where can I find him?"

"Deep within his own anger, plotting against all of mankind for what was done to him." She stood up and lead me back outside. We walked to the edge of the village while she continued her explanation. "The Maw of Chaos can be easily shaped by the emotions of those who are the most attuned to its essence. Follow the trail of desiccation and you will find the Woodsie Lord. Free him from his anger and this nightmare will end."

Everything I knew about the Trickster came from children's tales and superstitious sermons from a few fanatics that wandered the streets. They made him sound like a god, but I always thought that if the old gods did exist, they wouldn't be something that could be hurt or destroyed. Whatever the Trickster was, his tantrum was killing the habitable areas of the Maw. I agreed to the task to settle my debt with Viktoria. Hopefully I wouldn't have to try and kill a god, but if that's what it took to get out of this situation alive, I was holding that as an option in the back of my mind.


	5. The Harvester

**Part 5: The Harvester**

I followed a stream outside of the forest and into the craggy area that was being twisted by the Trickster's will. For a while I thought the stream and I were both moving in a straight line, but when I looked back I saw the landscape curling into a spiral suspended in a red haze of nothingness. The stream seemed like the best point of reference I had—that is, until it started flowing vertically upward. The rest of the land kept twisting ahead of me but the water fell upwards into what looked like a pile of distant leaves. The Maw of Chaos was really living up to its name.

I started to continue forward but a hiss stopped me in my tracks. A spider descended from one of the upper coils of the landscape and when it touched down near me, it turned out to be larger than a dog. I grabbed my bow but when I reached back for an arrow, another spider caught my hand from behind with a spray of silk. It was strong enough to pull me off balance, but I quickly recovered and yanked the spider in the direction of its friend. While they struggled to get untangled from their collision, I used an arrowhead to cut the silk from my fist.

That same arrow was fired into one of the spiders and pinned him to the ground. Just as it screeched in death, three more dropped out of nowhere and sprayed in my direction. I was able to dodge one of them but the others caught me on the forearm and shin. The spiders couldn't wait to start hauling me towards them. There wasn't really anything for me to grab onto to prevent their pull—the only place I could reach for was the stream.

The water was a decent temperature but I didn't dive in to enjoy it. I managed to wash the webbing off my limbs, though not before the two spiders on the other end were dragged in with me. We were caught in a current that was stronger than I expected it to be and before I knew it, I was being carried up with the gravity-defying flow of the water.

Both spiders panicked as we went higher and eventually fell out of the stream. I rotated to see where I was going but otherwise didn't struggle. The water flowed towards what I had thought was a pile of leaves but the closer I got to it, the more I could see that it was actually the top of a massive tree floating upside-down in the chaos. Its trunk had to have been as tall and wide as the Baron's Keep.

The water passed through the tree's canopy and weaved through its branches. When I looked ahead I saw it was starting to make impossible twists and turns—flowing straight through the branches in some instances. I had to get off this ride or I was going to be impaled. I attached a rope to the claw and threw it around a sturdy limb. When it pulled me from the water I thought I would be dangling but gravity decided to work differently from how I knew it to work. I slammed against the branch and all the wind was knocked out of me.

I looked upwards while I gathered my bearings. In the distance, I could still see the twisting landscape in what was now the sky for me. Returning to Viktoria was going to be difficult. Maybe after I freed the Trickster from his anger, the world would go back to normal. I didn't have any other choice but to find out.

I climbed up—or rather, down—the upside-down tree to reach its trunk. There was a hole not far from me and I could hear something echoing inside.

The hollow trunk was lined with walkways and suspension bridges made out of planks and vines. I lowered myself to the highest walkway and looked down for the source of the noise: A figure moving around in the bottom of the hollow tree. It was hard to see clearly with only the light from the hole to help me, but I had an idea that I was close to finding the Woodsie One himself.

I moved quickly and carefully along the walkways to descend the trunk. A loud roar stopped me from crossing one walk and I was glad that it did—the emotion expressed by the sound traveled upwards and changed most of the walkways into brittle thorn branches, and many of them collapsed under their own weight. The platform I was on stayed in tact but a hail of barbs from up above forced me to dive under it and hang by a fixed rope.

By then, my eyes had adjusted enough so I could see who was below me. He loped around on a pair of dark goat legs that didn't seem to match the long lizard's tail trailing behind him. It was the only part of his exposed skin that was scaled over. The horns sticking out of his painted head told me the rest of what I needed to know: The trickster god was right below me, and I had managed to stumble into his lair.

I could see that something was wrong with him. The heavy tread of his hooves was followed by a weary limp. There were vines wrapped around the base of his tail and part of his torso, and each time he reached for his chest, the vines became thorn branches that dug into his skin. At first his back was to me so I couldn't tell why that was happening. When he turned around, I could see the black blossom that was lodged in his chest. That must have been the Thorn of Vengeance Viktoria mentioned, but it looked like it was killing him. Each time he reached for it, the thorn would respond with painful repercussions.

I didn't have far to drop from the bottom and while there were shadows everywhere, the Trickster wasn't distracted enough by his pain not to notice that someone was lurking in the open space.

"Who bes bolding enough to enter the Woodsie King's domain? More sneaksie manfools?"

He raised his hand and made two small orbs of green light appear. The orbs took on a life of their own and circled the area, lighting up each shadow they passed. I kept moving between their patrols in an effort to remain unseen.

The Trickster rotated in the opposite direction of the lights' movement. When he faced me, his mouth curled into a snarl even though I was still hidden by the dark. "Bes knowing the cloaksie shadow. Sneaksies coming to finishes the deeds? Not so long as the Jacksberry draws breath!"

He stamped his hoof and the light wisps put me in a spotlight. By then I had an arrow fitted with a water canister and aimed in his direction. I struck him in the face with it and when he howled in outrage, the floor of the hollow trunk began to break apart.

I side-stepped a few pieces of falling floor and caught a glimpse of what was below the tree: An ocean of lava. The roots were dipped into it but they had transitioned into stone. I wasn't going to be able to pull the same trick if I plunged through the cracks. I rushed forward and reached out for the blossom while the Trickster was still trying to clear off his face. A section of wood gave out under my left foot and before I knew it, I started to slip through. At the same time, the Trickster speared his tail forward in defense of himself. It was the only thing I could grab to keep myself from plunging to my death.

I held onto that lizard tail for dear life and soon enough, he drew it back up out of the hole and swung it over himself again. It was now or never. I let the momentum pull me over his shoulder and before he could reach up to swat me like a fly, I grabbed a hold of the blossom and twisted it right out of his chest. The stem that withdrew from him was so long it would have killed a normal creature if it were driven into their heart. The Trickster was definitely a lot more than I thought he would be.

I was thrown over his shoulder by a bucking reaction to the pain but the floor had already mended itself by the time I landed on my chest. The Trickster fell backwards and I had to roll out of the way to avoid being trapped underneath him. The thorn I had pulled from his chest withered and died in my hand.

All the walkways above us were starting to return. I looked to the foot of a nearby flight of stairs and saw Viktoria quickly approaching us with another large flower bud in hand. I wasn't going to ask her how she got here so quickly but the question was definitely on my mind. She rushed to the Trickster's side and knelt down to tend to his wound. They spoke to each other in a more complex version of that broken English they spoke, and I couldn't make out what they were saying.

Something didn't feel right about all this. The Trickster's reaction to me and the things he said made it seem like someone had been here ahead of me trying to kill him. Then again, I may have just saved the Trickster's life. Having a god owe me a favor could be one of the most valuable prizes I've ever claimed.

Viktoria looked to me with a proud smile. "I knew I was right to choose you, my good thief."

I shrugged and stood up straight. "It's all in the wrist. Now how do I get out of here?"

She leaned down and whispered something to the Trickster. He took a labored breath, then swiped the air with his right hand. A gash of light appeared between us.

"Go with our thanks," Viktoria said. I was too thoughtful about the event to respond. I had just saved a god's life but I had to wonder if I had done the right thing. I reminded myself that he had died once before and could possibly be killed again, especially if he double-crossed me. Then I stepped through the crack of light and came out in a garden next to an overgrown greenhouse in the Old Quarter.


	6. A Lesson in Grief

**Part 6: A Lesson in Grief**

I had a good, long rest after that adventure, then I went on to complete the job Madame Xiao-Xiao had given me. She was pleasantly surprised when I snuck into her reading room and draped the necklace of pearls into the pages of her latest piece of reading material.

"Oh Garrett, you and I are going to get along just fine from now on," she sang as she tried it on.

"I hope so," I said as I counted my coins. "I might get jealous if I see you pay any other thief to do a third-rate job getting what you want."

While I paid her a visit, I made sure to travel through the old library and took that Keeper's door off its hinges. Hopefully the Queen of Beggars made it back beforehand because I left it in splinters. I might not have been mad at her anymore, but I'd had enough of Costa and the whole Keeper idea. If she wanted to ask politely to take the primal I might say yes, but I wasn't going to let them hunt me down for it again.

* * *

I was eating my breakfast when Rumor came in to greet me. It was sunset: The time of day that I usually woke up to start my nightly routine. I passed her a dry biscuit so I could finish eating while she enjoyed the unexpected treat. After she sampled the edges, she spoke without prompt from any kind of secret gesture.

"_Garrett, Garrett. A word if you will. No job but a favor. Important, Garrett, Garrett. Please come._"

Favors were another type of job and I was pretty sure Scribe knew that—unless what she needed me for was something serious and personal. I threw Rumor's broken biscuit out an open window to get her to leave, then ate the rest of my food quickly and rushed downstairs to get ready.

* * *

The air was somber when I stepped through the window of Scribe's living room. She was sitting at a desk forging bonds while Six-Fingers sat in a worn rocking chair cradling Addi. It didn't feel right to start off the conversation with humor. "What's the important favor?"

Scribe looked at me gravely. "Garrett. Lorena's dead."

"_What?_" A cold twinge struck me in the back of my head and raced all the way down to my ankles. "What happened?"

"I don't know the details. Something must have gone wrong with her most recent job."

"Then how do you know she's dead?" The words flew out of my mouth quicker than I wanted them to.

Scribe lifted the top of her desk and took out a folded letter. "Lorena had a contingency in place in case she died. We both did, but after Six and I moved in together I didn't think it would be necessary anymore. We paid Chase the courier to keep death notices for us. If he didn't hear from us regularly, he knew to deliver the notice to a place of our choosing. Hers came to my old hideout in Riverside. I had sent Rumor to get some small notes for me and she came back with it."

I took the letter and read it. The death notice was dated more than a week ago... Had I been gone that long or did it take that long for someone to notice she was dead?

I dropped the note on Scribe's desk and turned away from her. "What do you need me to do?"

"Normally, Six and I would go take care of Lorena's hideout..."

I took a look at Six-Fingers. He was still on my shit-list for stealing from my collection, but in that moment I could tell he felt differently about Lorena dying. He was holding Addi close to his chest and kept his head lowered over hers.

"... But since the two of you were so close—"

"We weren't close." Those words also left my lips faster than I wanted them to. "We were just... fooling around." The phrase tasted terrible coming out of my mouth. I could see out the corner of my eye that Scribe also didn't appreciate how that sounded under the circumstances.

"Okay. Since the two of you were just 'fooling around,' I thought it would be better if you handled her personal effects. I know she would want it that way. Do you mind, or would you just be fooling around if you did that, too?"

I deserved that. I shook my head and turned back towards the window. "I'll take care of it." I needed time to myself to process this, anyway.

* * *

I hadn't seen Lorena since the night of my funeral. I had tried to contact her several times to work out things between us but every time I stopped by her attic, she wasn't home. I even left one of the Flowers Eternal on her nightstand: The sunflower brooch, which had a large diamond in its disc and emeralds fixed into its petals. She never responded to the gesture and when I checked her attic again, the brooch was gone.

One of the realities of being a thief, assassin or other type of career criminal was that once you were gone, no one would ever know you were there. Unless you made your mark by going on a crime spree to purposefully antagonize the Watch, all of your deeds would fade with time and anyone who eventually stumbled onto your hideout would only recognize your equipment as something valuable to pawn or use for their own amateur purposes. Some of the professionals wanted the dignity of having their hideouts destroyed instead of being looted after they were gone; that's why this idea of contingencies was so popular. I didn't care about that sort of thing. A death notice really only gave someone permission to loot your hideout complete with the directions on how to get there.

I had learned a long time ago not to expect to see anyone after a brief encounter; after all, even highly skilled professionals didn't live a very long life unless they eventually went legit. But I had spent too much time with Lorena recently. Scribe and Six as well, but if they disappeared I don't think it would cross my mind that anything happened to them other than moving away. Spending too much time with Lorena was making it hard for my mind to wrap around the idea that she could be dead. What did a death notice really mean—that she couldn't make it back in time to signal Chase that she was still alive? She could have been in prison somewhere, or hurt. If I could find some clue in her attic about her most recent job, I might be able to track her down and find out what really happened to her.

* * *

Lorena's attic didn't look dusty enough to be the home of a dead woman. The air inside was stale but that was to be expected; she always sealed the place while she was away.

I started picking the lock on a file cabinet before the feeling of being watched drew my attention to the corner near her bed. The lockpick dropped out of my hand when I saw who it was.

Lorena was standing there, quiet, calm and bathed in the same blue haze I had seen on every ghost that roamed The City's streets. I took several steps forward but didn't know what else to say or do. Her smile and peaceful exterior were the polar opposite of my interior. There was a knot in my chest that was starting to weigh me down, especially when I thought back on how our last conversation ended.

"Where did you die," I wondered out loud. If I could re-enter _my_ body, it had to have been possible for her to do the same. I could find it and keep it safe for her—if she hadn't died a gruesome death.

Lorena walked past me and pointed to the bottom drawer of her file cabinet. I retrieved my pick and finished unlocking it. The drawer was full of papers with different details on past jobs which she probably held onto for blackmail purposes. I thought that she wanted me to search the records for where her body was, but when I looked up again, she was backing away.

"Wait!" I stood up to take a step towards her but stopped when I saw Red Jenny standing behind her. That cold bolt rushed down my back again.

This was that feeling that I didn't want. The longer I looked at them, the more my chest felt painfully heavy. I looked down at my hands for a brief second to relax the feeling and when I looked up again, they were gone. I had missed the moment when Jenny's wings unfolded but now I knew Lorena was truly dead.

I started to pick up a few of her items from around the attic. Scribe wanted me to clear it out for her and I had every intention of doing that, but my movements suddenly didn't feel right. No matter how many times I paused to relax the pain in my chest, it just wouldn't stay gone. Eventually I settled on the edge of Lorena's bed and looked down at the items of hers that I held. I let them all drop to the floor, then brought a hand up to cover my face and sat still in the stale quiet.

* * *

After a while, I decided to focus on the drawer I had opened. Lorena pointed it out to me for a reason and I needed to know what it was.

Most of the drawer was full of papers but there was a space behind the pile. I felt around and gripped something made of fabric. When I withdrew my hand, I found myself holding onto a small knit sock that was stuffed with a rolled slip of paper.

This wasn't a woman's sock... It was the kind you would put on an infant's foot to keep it warm.

The discovery filled my mind with questions. Did Lorena have a baby? Maybe she abandoned it and then felt guilty.

_Could it have been my baby?_

No... no, it was less than nine months ago that we started sleeping together again. Good. Maybe it was some other man's baby... The thought made a twinge irritate the back of my right eye. I unrolled the paper to give myself something else to focus on.

There was an address written on it but that wasn't the most striking thing about it. Below the address was a charcoal rubbing of the sunflower brooch I had left on her nightstand. The brooch was at that address and she wanted me to go there and find it. Maybe she had hidden the baby away somewhere and left the brooch with it in case something happened to her. I needed to find it. This was the job she had given me, and since it was her last wish, I felt obligated to take on the task.


	7. The Greatest Treasure

**Part 7: The Greatest Treasure**

The address was in Blackbrook: The closest city to mine but it would take days to get there on foot. Fortunately for me, I knew a better way. I pulled down the planks Lorena had used to block off the door to the attic's stairwell, then traced the door glyph on its frame.

In my early years as a thief for hire, I had pulled a few jobs in Blackbrook and even considered moving to the city. There turned out to be too many guilds and territorial gangs for my liking, and I didn't have the skills to protect myself from them like I do now.

Back then, I had used an abandoned lighthouse as a hideout for a few weeks. A much bigger one had been built down the docks. I learned from studying the glyph catalog that if I was familiar with the location I needed to get to, or a person I needed to see, I could will the door glyph to let me out close to that person or place. When I passed through the attic door, I found the smaller lighthouse was still standing and still abandoned. There were signs that other people had squatted there from time to time, but no one was there at the time and I was able to exit the building through a window on the lower level.

Blackbrook always seemed one step ahead of The City in its industrialism, wealth and corruption. I had read once that the two had gone to war hundreds of years ago and had an uneasy relationship ever since. Lorena often found jobs here, which told me the war was still waging, only on a more covert level.

I wasn't as familiar with its streets as I was my own city's so I had to stop and steal a map from the local customs house. The address was located in Blackbrook's industrial district. That certainly didn't sound like the kind of place to leave an infant and it made sense that Lorena would feel guilty. While working my way across the rooftops, I told myself that I would find her baby and bring it to Scribe and Six to raise as their own. Considering who it came from, I was sure they wouldn't mind taking on the new addition to their budding family.

* * *

The address belonged to a boarding house connected to a factory: A work house, where children were sent to make themselves useful. This kind of place wouldn't have accommodations for an infant, but Lorena may have come here to give it away or sell it. Perhaps I would find a clue in their files. I slipped into the boarding house through an attic window to work my way down to the office.

There was a long, thin hallway in the attic that was lined with doors: Their idea of solitary confinement for the ones who didn't meet their quota for the day. I could hear chains rattling and children whimpering behind a few of the doors, but there was a boy humming as well. I looked through the keyhole of his room and saw him sitting with his back to the door, playing with something. Beneath the humming, it sounded like he was trying to pick a lock but whatever he was using was inefficient for the job.

His humming broke into an exasperated sigh and he dropped his tool to his right: _The sunflower brooch._ He tried using the pin of the brooch as a lockpick and it was bent out of shape. How did he get it in the first place? He had to have stolen it off of Lorena's baby.

I picked the lock of his cell easily and closed the door after I slipped in. He had hidden the brooch by then, possibly in his worn jacket or a pants pocket, and turned around to look up from where he sat. He seemed more curious than afraid of the fact that I was there. I crouched down to his level and pointed at the vague bulge I finally spotted in his right jacket pocket. "Where did you get that?"

He was quiet for a long time, studying the part of my face he could see above my mask. After a while, he finally said, "From the lady who visited me a few times. She said if I kept it safe, something good would happen to me."

Now it was my turn to stare quietly for a while. The longer I studied his features, the more I could see subtle details that were familiar to Lorena's face. His eyebrows were thicker than hers, though, and his eyes were brown.

Like mine.

I settled all the way down on the floor then. Lorena and I had slept together a long time ago, long enough that—

We had lost touch. Anything could have happened. He didn't have to be mine just because of that. Brown eyes and dark hair were very common in The City and we were never exclusive to each other, especially not back then.

"This might be for you," he said as he pulled a crumpled envelope out of his right pocket. It was still sealed but I quickly tore it open and read the letter it held.

* * *

_Garrett—_

_I didn't want to admit how I felt about you because I knew that saying it out loud would ruin what we had, but you don't know how much my heart hurt when I saw you die in front of me. I thought I had lost the one thing I had begun to look forward to when I returned from doing the only thing I seem to know how to do anymore. My heart ached again when you walked away from me in the graveyard, but I knew it wasn't because you didn't care for me. You and I have learned to keep moving forward so that feelings like this won't cause us to stumble. That is why I need your help tying up this loose end._

_The boy is my son. Years ago I was put in prison here in Blackbrook and didn't know that I was pregnant at the time. After I gave birth to him, they took him away from me. I tried to find him once I escaped but as my career developed, I realized it wouldn't be a good idea for him to be with me, and I left him to his fate. I still don't believe it would be an ideal situation for him to live with me. I am not ashamed of the lives I have taken, but he is too young to understand that my life is not something to aspire to. Please help him escape from here. I don't know if he's yours or not, but I trust you to do what's best for him._

_I'm not ready to talk about what happened at your funeral. In fact, I feel it's best we moved on from it. After you've helped him, I would appreciate at least knowing that it was done._

_Sincerely,_

_Lorena_

* * *

She found her son but couldn't bring herself to take him with her. I put a hand on his short head of hair just to see what it felt like but drew it back almost in the same second. He was understandably confused by the gesture but I wasn't about to explain it to him. I couldn't even explain it to myself. Then I looked down at the cuff around his ankle. He was chained to the wall like a dog. All of the children had to be, but I wasn't about to take them all with me. I had to focus on Lorena's boy.

"What's your name," I asked him.

"Rory."

"A good name." I picked the lock on his cuff in the same breath. "Rory, you're coming with me."

He took a moment to rub his ankle. "Am I being kidnapped?"

I gestured to our surroundings. "Would you rather stay here?"

He took one look around before telling me, "I think I'd rather be kidnapped." Whether he was mine or not, he at least had my wit.

I had to mark his forehead with the glyph that allowed Rumor and Jenivere to enter the clock tower, but after that I opened the door of his cell to the bottom level. Rory was fascinated by every part we passed on our way up to my hideout. I didn't think he would ever fall asleep for how energized he was by his curiosity, but after some food, he was out like a candle. I left him sleeping in my bed, because even though the sun was rising on another day, my thoughts were too active to let me close my eyes.

While her son slept, I went back to Lorena's attic to take care of her things. I needed the time to myself to figure out what to do next. I burned all of her records and disguises, keeping a few ornate masks to divide with Scribe and Six. They would want something to remember her and for my own reasons, I did as well. Whatever money and valuables she had, I put them together in a bag so I could sell the goods to Basso and give the money to Rory. Maybe he _was_ my son but I wasn't going to keep him with me—I had decided that while we ate together. As young as he was, he would probably learn everything I had to teach him, but Lorena wanted me to do what was best for him, and that was getting him out of The City.


	8. Making Amends

**Part 8: Making Amends**

After I delivered the keepsakes to Scribe and cashed in the valuables with Basso, I went to the old church to look for the Queen of Beggars. It wasn't easy entering her sanctuary to speak to her after the way our last conversation ended, but I knew it had to be done.

She was sitting alone in the old ruins, almost as if she was waiting for me. "I didn't expect you so soon, Child of the Shadows. Is something the matter?"

I approached her table and set the bag of coins down next to it. "Lorena's dead. I don't know when or how, but... I know she's gone."

She shook her head slowly and flashed a look of sympathy forward. "It is a hard pain to bear, losing someone you had grown fond of, but I know the strength is within you."

"That's not all." I sat down on the stool next to the table. "She had a son."

The Queen of Beggars was quiet for a long moment. This was something even she didn't know. "Is he yours?"

"It doesn't matter. He can't stay here; I can't take care of him. I need to know if you know someplace better. Maybe a couple that could adopt him and teach him a better way to live."

She was quiet again. I started to wonder if it was a good idea for me to talk about this with her at all.

"When we first met, Garrett, I could sense the scars that were branded in you. Like many of the forgotten children of The City, its streets made you its own, and you would never know the comforts that more fortunate children would know as they came of age. But underneath all those scars, I also sensed a heart that would not be darkened by the shadows where you found refuge. You withdrew yourself to spare your heart from the pains that would have destroyed it altogether, but every once in a while your actions, even as a so-called _blackhand_, demonstrated a light that still burned brighter in you than in the very men who claim to have only the best intentions for this city."

She angled in her chair so her dead eyes were turned to me. "I am sorry that I betrayed the part of you that trusted my council. I didn't mean to dim the light of your heart, I simply wanted you to see that there was a need for it to shine bright across The City. You have the unique ability to take all the hard lessons this city has taught you and apply their knowledge in defense of those who are not strong enough to endure its trials."

I stared at the floor quietly while listening to her and smirked at the stones when she was done. "I don't think you know me as well as you think you do, Beggar Queen. I was either getting paid for those things or getting something out of my way." For the most part. "Also, you have to admit that you pointed me in the direction of a lot of those lessons. I should have known that you were trying to prepare me for something."

As an afterthought, I added, "I'm sorry I killed your rat," which made her laugh.

"Rats are everywhere and where one falls, a dozen more rise to take its place. I will never run out of rats. What is the boy's name?"

"Rory."

She nodded slowly. "Do you wish he was your son?"

I couldn't answer that right away. I knew I didn't want to settle down or start a family, but when I thought about the fact that he could have been something Lorena and I made together, my chest burned like it did when I sat down in her attic. "I'm just glad to know that he's Lorena's."

The Queen of Beggars rose from her seat and gestured for me to follow her into the depths of the church's ruins. "There are many places in the world with different opportunities for Rory. I cannot guarantee his safety. Even if he is placed with a loving family, fate may decide that they all die within moments of meeting each other."

I gestured at the old ceiling above us. "And this whole structure could collapse on us before we finish this conversation. I don't need a guarantee that he'll live a long and happy life. I just want to give him the chance. It was Lorena's last wish."

"Very well." We walked deeper than I'd ever been in her territory, heading down a flight of steps that spiraled past long-forgotten arches and hallways. "Take the boy to see Costa. He has spent many years protecting his city, and he will know a good place for him there."

I stopped at the foot of the stairs. "You expect me to pay that jacknall a visit after he kept me prisoner? You still want me to become one of his Keepers, don't you?"

She stopped walking and turned to face me. "Costa is a Keeper but he is not in charge, he is simply one of the most experienced. He will help you because it is the right thing to do." She turned to continue down a large hallway. "And besides, you already are a Keeper. There is no grand ceremony to induct you into the fold. Your rites of passage have already been and gone. Costa will have to accept it, and you will as well. The ways of the Keepers have changed a great deal since the oldest order lost their ability to tap into the primal well that exists in The City. You will need his help until you understand the full measure of your responsibility."

I rolled my eyes and sighed quietly. "In case you've forgotten, I'm pretty adept at learning things on my own. Besides, I destroyed the door beneath the old library to keep him from sending more of his goons after me."

The Queen of Beggars chuckled as she pushed past an old door. "So experienced, yet you have so much still to learn."

I was irritated when I approached the doorway but that feeling was quickly replaced by surprise. The room she entered had a door on the other end of it that looked just like the one I had destroyed. She walked up to it and ran her fingers along its wooden planks as she spoke. "I did not show Costa this room when I brought him to The City. You can bring him back through here after you have seen to your son's future."

I almost said he wasn't my son but I decided it was better to let the point go for now. The day had been long and I was finally worn out. I used the door in the depths of her ruins to re-enter the clock tower, then turned in for some much-needed rest.

* * *

When I woke up, I caught Rory fingering a canister from one of my choke arrows, trying to figure it out. I took it from him before he could get us both gassed. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to touch something that isn't yours?" I groaned quietly at how ridiculous that sounded coming out of my mouth.

"I was just curious," he admitted with a shrug. "Do I have to stay here all night while you run off again?"

"No. We're taking a little trip after you eat something." It was another awkward meal and I took in more questions than food, but since it was the last one we would have together, I let my patience be put to the test.

"Are you a criminal?"

"Yes."

"A kidnapper?"

"No. A thief."

"Trying a hand at ransom? They won't pay to get me back."

"I'm not a kidnapper. I'm doing a friend a favor."

"The lady who gave me the trinket and letter?"

"Yes."

"Is she a criminal, too?"

"She was."

"She was? You mean she's not anymore?"

"Finish eating. We need to go."

"Are you taking me to her?"

"No."

"Will I ever see her again?"

My appetite was nearly gone by then. I shook my head and took the rest of my food away.

"Who was she? I liked seeing her. I was hoping I'd see her again."

"Someone who cared." It wasn't my place to tell him anything different. "Come on. I have a, friend, that I want you to meet."

* * *

To say that Costa was unhappy to see me is an understatement. He almost grabbed me by the throat when I entered his study, but I moved quickly enough to dodge him and pinned him by the chest to the wall next to the door frame. "That's no way to behave when there's a child present."

When he looked down and saw Rory standing in the doorway, he stopped struggling against me. I waited until I felt the tension leave his back before I released him and stood near the boy.

"What... I don't even—" Costa took a breath. "Explain this, Garrett!"

"The Queen of Beggars said you might know someone in your city who'd be willing to adopt him."

"What? Why would I—" He looked at Rory, then at me, then the confusion on his face melted into sincere understanding. "Yeah... yeah, I might know someone... It will take some time, but, he can stay here until then."

This was easier than I thought it would be. I knelt down to take a long look at Rory and rubbed the glyph off his forehead in a gesture that looked like I was stroking his hair. He set down his bag of coins, then reached into his jacket pocket and held up the sunflower brooch.

"Should I give this to you," he wondered.

I was thoughtful for a moment, then I reached into my hip pouch for a fabric mask that was designed to be worn at a masquerade ball. I exchanged the brooch for the mask and told him, "Here. Never forget the lady who visited you," then turned to activate the door again.

"Garrett, wait." Costa ushered Rory towards the door and opened it to a stairwell leading away from his study. "Go pick a room for yourself but don't leave the building," he told him. After the boy disappeared down the stairs, Costa closed the door and took a hard look at me.

"Are you sure about what you're asking me to do, Garrett? If the boy is your son, you should keep him with you."

I shook my head again. "I'm nobody's father, and his mother wanted me to get him out of The City. That's what I'm doing." I shrugged and approached the door. "Besides. I can't be a Keeper if I'm babysitting, now can I?"

He sounded skeptical. "Then you will look after your city?"

"I haven't decided that yet, but the Queen of Beggars seems to think she's made up my mind for me." I felt weary just thinking about it. This wasn't something that I wanted but until I could figure out a way to do away with it altogether, I was going to have to play along. "Anyway, I've already saved The City, what, three times now? Not to mention how I helped Viktoria and the Trickster—"

"You _what?_" That familiar scowl covered Costa's face. "What did you do?!"

I took note of the dreadful details in Costa's wrinkled brow. Something told me I wasn't going to like his reaction but I decided to tell him anyway. "When I escaped here, I had help. Viktoria, the Lady of the Woods, brought me back to the Maw. She had me remove the Thorn of Vengeance from the Trickster's heart."

Costa slapped a hand to his forehand, gnashed his teeth and nearly stumbled where he stood. "How could you be so _stupid_ as to do anything to help the trickster god? 'Trick' is in his _name_, for pity's sake!"

I didn't care for his insults but his reaction was telling me exactly what I suspected about my encounter with Viktoria.

"There is no such thing as the _Thorn of Vengeance_," he growled. "The Trickster was being kept _weak_ by a plant called the Waning Weed. I know because Tai Jun, Botsan and I went after him with two other Keepers, and after a hard battle that cost us those Keepers' lives, we managed to plant it on him and escape with ours!"

I was angry at being tricked but being yelled at by Costa made me focus that anger in his direction. "I didn't know, all right? All I knew was that I owed them a favor after they helped me escape from _you_. Besides, weren't you the one who told Viktoria she'd have the chance to use me later if she let my soul escape the Maw?"

"I expected you to be reasonable enough to work with me after I _helped you come back to life_, so I would have the opportunity to warn you about the Trickster and his psychopathic consort!" He sighed away his frustration. "Now that he's been freed, your city is in more danger than you know."

The City was in danger. What else was new? Lately, that seemed to be the only thing I could expect to discover about it. I wasn't exactly enthusiastic about the idea of working with the Keepers, but at least I knew I had a lot of interesting days ahead of me.

End


End file.
